PREMIER STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND
(formerly, SSL-1993-5)
Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF
TRUST, made this 20th day of October, 1995, hereby amends and
restates in its entirety the Agreement and Declaration of Trust
made at Boston, Massachusetts, dated May 14, 1993, by the Trustee
hereunder (hereinafter with any additional and successor trustees
referred to as the "Trustees") and by the holders of shares of
beneficial interest to be issued hereunder as hereinafter
provided.
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, the Trustees have agreed to manage all property
coming into their hands as trustees of a Massachusetts business
trust in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they
will hold all cash, securities and other assets, which they may
from time to time acquire in any manner as Trustees hereunder IN
TRUST to manage and dispose of the same upon the following terms
and conditions for the pro rata benefit of the holders from time
to time of Shares, whether or not certificated, in this Trust as
hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE I
Name and Definitions
Section 1. Name. This Trust shall be known as "Premier
Strategic Growth Fund."
Section 2. Definitions. Whenever used herein, unless
otherwise required by the context or specifically provided:
(a) The term "Commission" shall have the meaning
provided in the 1940 Act;
(b) The "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts business
trust established by this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as
amended from time to time;
(c) "Shareholder" means a record owner of Shares of the
Trust;
(d) "Shares" means the equal proportionate transferable
units of interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust
shall be divided from time to time or, if more than one series or
class of Shares is authorized by the Trustees, the equal
proportionate transferable units into which each series or class
of Shares shall be divided from time to time, and includes a
fraction of a Share as well as a whole Share;
(e) The "1940 Act" refers to the Investment Company Act
of 1940, and the Rules and Regulations thereunder, all as amended
from time to time;
(f) The term "Manager" is defined in Article IV, Sec-
tion 5;
(g) The term "Person" shall mean an individual or any
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise;
(h) "Declaration of Trust" shall mean this Agreement
and Declaration of Trust as amended or restated from time to time;
(i) "Bylaws" shall mean the Bylaws of the Trust as
amended from time to time;
(j) The term "series" or "series of Shares" refers to
the one or more separate investment portfolios of the Trust into
which the assets and liabilities of the Trust may be divided and
the Shares of the Trust representing the beneficial interest of
Shareholders in such respective portfolios; and
(k) The term "class" or "class of Shares" refers to the
division of Shares representing any series into two or more
classes as provided in Article III, Section 1 hereof.
ARTICLE II
Purposes of Trust
This Trust is formed for the following purpose or
purposes:
(a) to conduct, operate and carry on the business of an
investment company;
(b) to subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase
or otherwise acquire, hold, pledge, sell, assign, transfer, lend,
write options on, exchange, distribute or otherwise dispose of and
deal in and with securities of every nature, kind, character, type
and form, including, without limitation of the generality of the
foregoing, all types of stocks, shares, futures contracts, bonds,
debentures, notes, bills and other negotiable or non-negotiable
instruments, obligations, evidences of interest, certificates of
interest, certificates of participation, certificates, interests,
evidences of ownership, guarantees, warrants, options or evidences
of indebtedness issued or created by or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by any state or local government or any agency or
instrumentality thereof, by the United States Government or any
agency, instrumentality, territory, district or possession
thereof, by any foreign government or any agency, instrumentality,
territory, district or possession thereof, by any corporation
organized under the laws of any state, the United States or any
territory or possession thereof or under the laws of any foreign
country, bank certificates of deposit, bank time deposits,
bankers' acceptances and commercial paper; to pay for the same in
cash or by the issue of stock, including treasury stock, bonds or
notes of the Trust or otherwise; and to exercise any and all
rights, powers and privileges of ownership or interest in respect
of any and all such investments of every kind and description,
including, without limitation, the right to consent and otherwise
act with respect thereto, with power to designate one or more
persons, firms, associations or corporations to exercise any of
said rights, powers and privileges in respect of any said
instruments;
(c) to borrow money or otherwise obtain credit and to
secure the same by mortgaging, pledging or otherwise subjecting as
security the assets of the Trust;
(d) to issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, retire, cancel,
acquire, hold, resell, reissue, dispose of, transfer, and
otherwise deal in, Shares including Shares in fractional
denominations, and to apply to any such repurchase, redemption,
retirement, cancellation or acquisition of Shares any funds or
other assets of the appropriate series or class of Shares, whether
capital or surplus or otherwise, to the full extent now or
hereafter permitted by the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachu-
setts;
(e) to conduct its business, promote its purposes, and
carry on its operations in any and all of its branches and
maintain offices both within and without The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, in any and all States of the United States of
America, in the District of Columbia, and in any other parts of
the world; and
(f) to do all and everything necessary, suitable,
convenient, or proper for the conduct, promotion, and attainment
of any of the businesses and purposes herein specified or which at
any time may be incidental thereto or may appear conducive to or
expedient for the accomplishment of any of such businesses and
purposes and which might be engaged in or carried on by a Trust
organized under the Massachusetts General Laws, and to have and
exercise all of the powers conferred by the laws of The Common-
wealth of Massachusetts upon a Massachusetts business trust.
The foregoing provisions of this Article II shall be
construed both as purposes and powers and each as an independent
purpose and power.
ARTICLE III
Beneficial Interest
Section 1. Shares of Beneficial Interest. The Shares
of the Trust shall be issued in one or more series as the Trustees
may, without Shareholder approval, authorize. Each series shall
be preferred over all other series in respect of the assets
allocated to that series and shall represent a separate investment
portfolio of the Trust. The beneficial interest in each series at
all times shall be divided into Shares, with or without par value
as the Trustees may from time to time determine, each of which
shall, except as provided in the following sentence, represent an
equal proportionate interest in the series with each other Share
of the same series, none having priority or preference over
another. The Trustees may, without Shareholder approval, divide
Shares of any series into two or more classes, Shares of each such
class having such preferences and special or relative rights and
privileges (including conversion rights, if any) as the Trustees
may determine. The number of Shares authorized shall be
unlimited, and the Shares so authorized may be represented in part
by fractional shares. From time to time, the Trustees may divide
or combine the Shares of any series or class into a greater or
lesser number without thereby changing the proportionate
beneficial interests in the series or class.
Section 2. Ownership of Shares. The ownership of
Shares will be recorded in the books of the Trust or a transfer
agent. The record books of the Trust or any transfer agent, as
the case may be, shall be conclusive as to who are the holders of
Shares of each series and class and as to the number of Shares of
each series and class held from time to time by each. No
certificates certifying the ownership of Shares need be issued
except as the Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time.
Section 3. Issuance of Shares. The Trustees are
authorized, from time to time, to issue or authorize the issuance
of Shares at not less than the par value thereof, if any, and to
fix the price or the minimum price or the consideration (in cash
and/or such other property, real or personal, tangible or
intangible, as from time to time they may determine) or minimum
consideration for such Shares. Anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Trustees may issue Shares pro rata to the
Shareholders of a series at any time as a stock dividend, except
to the extent otherwise required or permitted by the preferences
and special or relative rights and privileges of any classes of
Shares of that series, and any stock dividend to the Shareholders
of a particular class of Shares shall be made to such Shareholders
pro rata in proportion to the number of Shares of such class held
by each of them.
All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or
sale of Shares of each series, together with all income, earnings,
profits, and proceeds thereof, including any proceeds derived from
the sale, exchange or liquidation thereof, and any funds or
payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in
whatever form the same may be, shall belong irrevocably to the
series of Shares with respect to which the same were received by
the Trust for all purposes, subject only to the rights of
creditors, and shall be so handled upon the books of account of
the Trust and are herein referred to as "assets of" such series.
Shares may be issued in fractional denominations to the
same extent as whole Shares, and Shares in fractional
denominations shall be Shares having proportionately to the
respective fractions represented thereby all the rights of whole
Shares, including, without limitation, the right to vote, the
right to receive dividends and distributions, and the right to
participate upon liquidation of the Trust or of a particular
series of Shares.
Section 4. No Preemptive Rights; Derivative Suits.
Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe
for any additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust.
No action may be brought by a Shareholder on behalf of the Trust
or a series unless a prior demand regarding such matter has been
made on the Trustees and the Shareholders of the Trust or such
series.
Section 5. Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal
Liability. Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving
only the rights provided in this instrument. Every Shareholder by
virtue of having become a Shareholder shall be held to have
expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof and to have
become a party hereto. The death of a Shareholder during the
continuance of the Trust shall not operate to terminate the same
nor entitle the representative of any deceased Shareholder to an
accounting or to take any action in court or elsewhere against the
Trust or the Trustees, but only to the rights of said decedent
under this Trust. Ownership of Shares shall not entitle the
Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or any part of the
Trust property or right to call for a partition or division of the
same or for an accounting, nor shall the ownership of Shares
constitute the Shareholders partners. Neither the Trust nor the
Trustees, nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall
have any power to bind any Shareholder or Trustee personally or to
call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or
assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder at any
time personally may agree to pay by way of subscription for any
Shares or otherwise. Every note, bond, contract or other
undertaking issued by or on behalf of the Trust shall include a
recitation limiting the obligation represented thereby to the
Trust and its assets or the assets of a particular series (but the
omission of such a recitation shall not operate to bind any Share-
holder or Trustee personally).
ARTICLE IV
Trustees
Section 1. Election. A Trustee may be elected either
by the Trustees or the Shareholders. The Trustees named herein
shall serve until the first meeting of the Shareholders or until
the election and qualification of their successors. Prior to the
first meeting of Shareholders the initial Trustees hereunder may
elect additional Trustees to serve until such meeting and until
their successors are elected and qualified. The Trustees also at
any time may elect Trustees to fill vacancies in the number of
Trustees. The number of Trustees shall be fixed from time to time
by the Trustees and, at or after the commencement of the business
of the Trust, shall be not less than three. Each Trustee, whether
named above or hereafter becoming a Trustee, shall serve as a
Trustee during the lifetime of this Trust, until such Trustee
dies, resigns, retires, or is removed, or, if sooner, until the
next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of electing
Trustees and the election and qualification of his successor.
Subject to Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act, the Trustees may elect
their own successors and, pursuant to this Section, may appoint
Trustees to fill vacancies.
Section 2. Powers. The Trustees shall have all powers
necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of the Trust,
including, without limitation, the powers referred to in Article
II hereof. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Trustees may adopt By-Laws not inconsistent with this Declaration
of Trust providing for the conduct of the business of the Trust
and may amend and repeal them to the extent that they do not
reserve that right to the Shareholders; they may fill vacancies in
their number, including vacancies resulting from increases in
their own number, and may elect and remove such officers and
employ, appoint and terminate such employees or agents as they
consider appropriate; they may appoint from their own number and
terminate any one or more committees; they may employ one or more
custodians of the assets of the Trust and may authorize such
custodians to employ subcustodians and to deposit all or any part
of such assets in a system or systems for the central handling of
securities, retain a transfer agent and a Shareholder servicing
agent, or both, provide for the distribution of Shares through a
principal underwriter or otherwise, set record dates, and in
general delegate such authority as they consider desirable
(including, without limitation, the authority to purchase and sell
securities and to invest funds, to determine the net income of the
Trust for any period, the value of the total assets of the Trust
and the net asset value of each Share, and to execute such deeds,
agreements or other instruments either in the name of the Trust or
the names of the Trustees or as their attorney or attorneys or
otherwise as the Trustees from time to time may deem expedient) to
any officer of the Trust, committee of the Trustees, any such
employee, agent, custodian or underwriter or to any Manager.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Trustees shall have full power and authority:
(a) To invest and reinvest cash and to hold cash
uninvested;
(b) To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of
ownership, with respect to stock or other securities or property;
and to execute and deliver proxies or powers of attorney to such
person or persons as the Trustees shall deem proper, granting to
such person or persons such power and discretion with relation to
securities or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(c) To hold any security or property in a form not
indicating any trust whether in bearer, unregistered or other
negotiable form or in the name of the Trust or a custodian,
subcustodian or other depository or a nominee or nominees or
otherwise;
(d) To consent to or participate in any plan for the
reorganization, consolidation or merger of any corporation or
concern, any security of which is held in the Trust; to consent to
any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase or sale of property by
such corporation or concern, and to pay calls or subscriptions
with respect to any security held in the Trust;
(e) To join with other security holders in acting
through a committee, depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and
in that connection to deposit any security with, or transfer any
security to, any such committee, depositary or trustee, and to
delegate to them such power and authority with relation to any
security (whether or not so deposited or transferred) as the
Trustees shall deem proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay, such
portion of the expenses and compensation of such committee,
depositary or trustee as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(f) To compromise, arbitrate, or otherwise adjust
claims in favor of or against the Trust or any matter in
controversy, including, but not limited to, claims for taxes;
(g) Subject to the provisions of Article III, Section
3, to allocate assets, liabilities, income and expenses of the
Trust to a particular series of Shares or to apportion the same
among two or more series, provided that any liabilities or
expenses incurred by a particular series of Shares shall be
payable solely out of the assets of that series; and to the extent
necessary or appropriate to give effect to the preferences and
special or relative rights and privileges of any classes of
Shares, to allocate assets, liabilities, income and expenses of a
series to a particular class of Shares of that series or to
apportion the same among two or more classes of Shares of that
series;
(h) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited
partnerships and any other combinations or associations;
(i) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust
property such insurance as they may deem necessary or appropriate
for the conduct of the business, including, without limitation,
insurance policies insuring the assets of the Trust and payment of
distributions and principal on its portfolio investments, and
insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers,
employees, agents, investment advisers or Managers, principal
underwriters, or independent contractors of the Trust individually
against all claims and liabilities of every nature arising by
reason of holding, being or having held any such office or
position, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or
omitted by any such person as Shareholder, Trustee, officer,
employee, agent, investment adviser or Manager, principal
underwriter, or independent contractor, including any action taken
or omitted that may be determined to constitute negligence,
whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such
person against such liability; and
(j) To pay pensions for faithful service, as deemed
appropriate by the Trustees, and to adopt, establish and carry out
pension, profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, savings,
thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts
and provisions, including the purchasing of life insurance and
annuity contracts as a means of providing such retirement and
other benefits, for any or all of the Trustees, officers,
employees and agents of the Trust.
Further, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Trustees shall have full power and authority to
incur and pay out of the principal or income of the Trust such
expenses and liabilities as may be deemed by the Trustees to be
necessary or proper for the purposes of the Trust; provided,
however, that all expenses and liabilities incurred by or arising
in connection with a particular series of Shares, as determined by
the Trustees, shall be payable solely out of the assets of that
series.
Any determination made in good faith and, so far as
accounting matters are involved, in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles by or pursuant to the authority
granted by the Trustees, as to the amount of the assets, debts,
obligations or liabilities of the Trust or a particular series or
class of Shares; the amount of any reserves or charges set up and
the propriety thereof; the time of or purpose for creating such
reserves or charges; the use, alteration or cancellation of any
reserves or charges (whether or not any debt, obligation or
liability for which such reserves or charges shall have been
created shall have been paid or discharged or shall be then or
thereafter required to be paid or discharged); the price or
closing bid or asked price of any investment owned or held by the
Trust or a particular series; the market value of any investment
or fair value of any other asset of the Trust or a particular
series; the number of Shares outstanding; the estimated expense to
the Trust or a particular series in connection with purchases of
its Shares; the ability to liquidate investments in an orderly
fashion; and the extent to which it is practicable to deliver a
cross-section of the portfolio of the Trust or a particular series
in payment for any such Shares, or as to any other matters
relating to the issue, sale, purchase and/or other acquisition or
disposition of investments or Shares of the Trust or a particular
series, shall be final and conclusive, and shall be binding upon
the Trust or such series and its Shareholders, past, present and
future, and Shares are issued and sold on the condition and
understanding that any and all such determinations shall be
binding as aforesaid.
Section 3. Meetings. At any meeting of the Trustees, a
majority of the Trustees then in office shall constitute a quorum.
Any meeting may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of
the votes cast upon the question, whether or not a quorum is
present, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further
notice.
When a quorum is present at any meeting, a majority of
the Trustees present may take any action, except when a larger
vote is required by this Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws or the
1940 Act.
Any action required or permitted to be taken at any
meeting of the Trustees or of any committee thereof may be taken
without a meeting, if a written consent to such action is signed
by a majority of the Trustees or members of any such committee
then in office, as the case may be, and such written consent is
filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Trustees or any such
committee.
The Trustees or any committee designated by the Trustees
may participate in a meeting of the Trustees or such committee by
means of a conference telephone or similar communications
equipment by means of which all persons participating in the
meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation by
such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
Section 4. Ownership of Assets of the Trust. Title to
all of the assets of each series of Shares of the Trust at all
times shall be considered as vested in the Trustees.
Section 5. Investment Advice and Management Services.
The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by any
present or future law or custom in regard to investments by
trustees. The Trustees from time to time may enter into a written
contract or contracts with any person or persons (herein called
the "Manager"), including any firm, corporation, trust or
association in which any Trustee or Shareholder may be interested,
to act as investment advisers and/or managers of the Trust and to
provide such investment advice and/or management as the Trustees
from time to time may consider necessary for the proper management
of the assets of the Trust, including, without limitation,
authority to determine from time to time what investments shall be
purchased, held, sold or exchanged and what portion, if any, of
the assets of the Trust shall be held uninvested and to make
changes in the Trust's investments. Any such contract shall be
subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act with respect to its
continuance in effect, its termination and the method of
authorization and approval of such contract, or any amendment
thereto or renewal thereof.
Any Trustee or any organization with which any Trustee
may be associated also may act as broker for the Trust in making
purchases and sales of securities for or to the Trust for its
investment portfolio, and may charge and receive from the Trust
the usual and customary commission for such service. Any
organization with which a Trustee may be associated in acting as
broker for the Trust shall be responsible only for the proper
execution of transactions in accordance with the instructions of
the Trust and shall be subject to no further liability of any sort
whatever.
The Manager, or any affiliate thereof, also may be a
distributor for the sale of Shares by separate contract or may be
a person controlled by or affiliated with any Trustee or any
distributor or a person in which any Trustee or any distributor is
interested financially, subject only to applicable provisions of
law. Nothing herein contained shall operate to prevent any
Manager, who also acts as such a distributor, from also receiving
compensation for services rendered as such distributor.
Section 6. Removal and Resignation of Trustees. The
Trustees or the Shareholders (by vote of 66-2/3% of the
outstanding Shares entitled to vote thereon) may remove at any
time any Trustee with or without cause, and any Trustee may resign
at any time as Trustee, without penalty by written notice to the
Trust; provided that sixty days' advance written notice shall be
given in the event that there are only three or fewer Trustees at
the time a notice of resignation is submitted.
ARTICLE V
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
Section 1. Voting Powers. The Shareholders shall have
power to vote only (i) for the election of Trustees as provided in
Article IV, Section 1, of this Declaration of Trust; provided,
however, that no meeting of Shareholders is required to be called
for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as
less than a majority of the Trustees have been elected by the
Shareholders, (ii) for the removal of Trustees as provided in
Article IV, Section 6, (iii) with respect to any Manager as pro-
vided in Article IV, Section 5, (iv) with respect to any amendment
of this Declaration of Trust as provided in Article IX, Section 8,
(v) with respect to the termination of the Trust or a series of
Shares as provided in Article IX, Section 5, and (vi) with respect
to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be
required by law, by this Declaration of Trust, or the By-Laws of
the Trust or any registration of the Trust with the Commission or
any state, or as the Trustees may consider desirable. Each whole
Share shall be entitled to one vote as to any matter on which it
is entitled to vote (except that in the election of Trustees said
vote may be cast for as many persons as there are Trustees to be
elected), and each fractional Share shall be entitled to a
proportionate fractional vote. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Declaration of Trust, on any matter submitted to
a vote of Shareholders, all Shares of the Trust then entitled to
vote shall be voted in the aggregate as a single class without
regard to series or classes of Shares, except (i) when required by
the 1940 Act or when the Trustees shall have determined that the
matter affects one or more series or classes differently Shares
shall be voted by individual series or class and (ii) when the
Trustees have determined that the matter affects only the
interests of one or more series or classes then only Shareholders
of such series or classes shall be entitled to vote thereon.
There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of Trustees.
Shares may be voted in person or by proxy. A proxy with respect
to Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid
if executed by any one of them, unless at or prior to exercise of
the proxy the Trust receives a specific written notice to the
contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting to be executed
by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless
challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving
invalidity shall rest on the challenger. Whenever no Shares of
any series or class are issued and outstanding, the Trustees may
exercise with respect to such series or class all rights of Share-
holders and may take any action required by law, this Declaration
of Trust or any By-Laws of the Trust to be taken by Shareholders.
Section 2. Meetings. Meetings of the Shareholders may
be called by the Trustees or such other person or persons as may
be specified in the By-Laws and shall be called by the Trustees
upon the written request of Shareholders owning at least 30% of
the outstanding Shares entitled to vote. Shareholders shall be
entitled to at least ten days' prior notice of any meeting.
Section 3. Quorum and Required Vote. Thirty percent
(30%) of the outstanding Shares shall be a quorum for the
transaction of business at a Shareholders' meeting, except that
where any provision of law or of this Declaration of Trust permits
or requires that holders of any series or class shall vote as a
series or class, then thirty percent (30%) of the aggregate number
of Shares of that series or class entitled to vote shall be
necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business
by that series or class. Any lesser number, however, shall be
sufficient for adjournment and any adjourned session or sessions
may be held within 90 days after the date set for the original
meeting without the necessity of further notice. Except when a
larger vote is required by any provision of this Declaration of
Trust or the By-Laws of the Trust and subject to any applicable
requirements of law, a majority of the Shares voted shall decide
any question and a plurality shall elect a Trustee, provided that
where any provision of law or of this Declaration of Trust permits
or requires that the holders of any series or class shall vote as
a series or class, then a majority of the Shares of that series or
class voted on the matter (or a plurality with respect to the
election of a Trustee) shall decide that matter insofar as that
series or class is concerned.
Section 4. Action by Written Consent. Any action
required or permitted to be taken at any meeting may be taken
without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth such
action, is signed by a majority of Shareholders entitled to vote
on the subject matter thereof (or such larger proportion thereof
as shall be required by any express provision of this Declaration
of Trust) and such consent is filed with the records of the Trust.
Section 5. Additional Provisions. The By-Laws may
include further provisions for Shareholders' votes and meetings
and related matters.
ARTICLE VI
Distributions and Redemptions
Section 1. Distributions. The Trustees shall
distribute periodically to the Shareholders of each series of
Shares an amount approximately equal to the net income of that
series, determined by the Trustees or as they may authorize and as
herein provided. Distributions of income may be made in one or
more payments, which shall be in Shares, cash or otherwise, and on
a date or dates and as of a record date or dates determined by the
Trustees. At any time and from time to time in their discretion,
the Trustees also may cause to be distributed to the Shareholders
of any one or more series as of a record date or dates determined
by the Trustees, in Shares, cash or otherwise, all or part of any
gains realized on the sale or disposition of the assets of the
series or all or part of any other principal of the Trust
attributable to the series. Each distribution pursuant to this
Section 1 shall be made ratably according to the number of Shares
of the series held by the several Shareholders on the record date
for such distribution, except to the extent otherwise required or
permitted by the preferences and special or relative rights and
privileges of any classes of Shares of that series, and any
distribution to the Shareholders of a particular class of Shares
shall be made to such Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the
number of Shares of such class held by each of them. No
distribution need be made on Shares purchased pursuant to orders
received, or for which payment is made, after such time or times
as the Trustees may determine.
Section 2. Determination of Net Income. In determining
the net income of each series or class of Shares for any period,
there shall be deducted from income for that period (a) such
portion of all charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities due or
accrued as the Trustees shall consider properly chargeable and
fairly applicable to income for that period or any earlier period
and (b) whatever reasonable reserves the Trustees shall consider
advisable for possible future charges, taxes, expenses and
liabilities which the Trustees shall consider properly chargeable
and fairly applicable to income for that period or any earlier
period. The net income of each series or class for any period may
be adjusted for amounts included on account of net income in the
net asset value of Shares issued or redeemed or repurchased during
that period. In determining the net income of a series or class
for a period ending on a date other than the end of its fiscal
year, income may be estimated as the Trustees shall deem fair.
Gains on the sale or disposition of assets shall not be treated as
income, and losses shall not be charged against income unless
appropriate under applicable accounting principles, except in the
exercise of the discretionary powers of the Trustees. Any amount
contributed to the Trust which is received as income pursuant to a
decree of any court of competent jurisdiction shall be applied as
required by the said decree.
Section 3. Redemptions. Any Shareholder shall be
entitled to require the Trust to redeem and the Trust shall be
obligated to redeem at the option of such Shareholder all or any
part of the Shares owned by said Shareholder, at the redemption
price, pursuant to the method, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth:
(a) Certificates for Shares, if issued, shall be
presented for redemption in proper form for transfer to the Trust
or the agent of the Trust appointed for such purpose, and these
shall be presented with a written request that the Trust redeem
all or any part of the Shares represented thereby.
(b) The redemption price per Share shall be the net
asset value per Share when next determined by the Trust at such
time or times as the Trustees shall designate, following the time
of presentation of certificates for Shares, if issued, and an
appropriate request for redemption, or such other time as the
Trustees may designate in accordance with any provision of the
1940 Act, or any rule or regulation made or adopted by any
securities association registered under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as determined by the Trustees, less any applicable
charge or fee imposed from time to time as determined by the
Trustees.
(c) Net asset value of each series or class of Shares
(for the purpose of issuance of Shares as well as redemptions
thereof) shall be determined by dividing:
(i) the total value of the assets of such series
or class determined as provided in paragraph (d) below
less, to the extent determined by or pursuant to the
direction of the Trustees in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles, all debts, obligations
and liabilities of such series or class (which debts,
obligations and liabilities shall include, without
limitation of the generality of the foregoing, any and
all debts, obligations, liabilities, or claims, of any
and every kind and nature, fixed, accrued and otherwise,
including the estimated accrued expenses of management
and supervision, administration and distribution and any
reserves or charges for any or all of the foregoing,
whether for taxes, expenses, or otherwise, and the price
of Shares redeemed but not paid for) but excluding the
Trust's liability upon its Shares and its surplus, by
(ii) the total number of Shares of such series or
class outstanding.
The Trustees are empowered, in their absolute
discretion, to establish other methods for determining such net
asset value whenever such other methods are deemed by them to be
necessary to enable the Trust to comply with applicable law, or
are deemed by them to be desirable, provided they are not
inconsistent with any provision of the 1940 Act.
(d) In determining for the purposes of this Declaration
of Trust the total value of the assets of each series or class of
Shares at any time, investments and any other assets of such
series or class shall be valued in such manner as may be
determined from time to time by or pursuant to the order of the
Trustees.
(e) Payment of the redemption price by the Trust may be
made either in cash or in securities or other assets at the time
owned by the Trust or partly in cash and partly in securities or
other assets at the time owned by the Trust. The value of any
part of such payment to be made in securities or other assets of
the Trust shall be the value employed in determining the
redemption price. Payment of the redemption price shall be made
on or before the seventh day following the day on which the Shares
are properly presented for redemption hereunder, except that
delivery of any securities included in any such payment shall be
made as promptly as any necessary transfers on the books of the
issuers whose securities are to be delivered may be made and,
except as postponement of the date of payment may be permissible
under the 1940 Act.
Pursuant to resolution of the Trustees, the Trust may
deduct from the payment made for any Shares redeemed a liquidating
charge not in excess of an amount determined by the Trustees from
time to time.
(f) The right of any holder of Shares redeemed by the
Trust as provided in this Article VI to receive dividends or
distributions thereon and all other rights of such Shareholder
with respect to such Shares shall terminate at the time as of
which the redemption price of such Shares is determined, except
the right of such Shareholder to receive (i) the redemption price
of such Shares from the Trust in accordance with the provisions
hereof, and (ii) any dividend or distribution to which such Share-
holder previously had become entitled as the record holder of such
Shares on the record date for such dividend or distribution.
(g) Redemption of Shares by the Trust is conditional
upon the Trust having funds or other assets legally available
therefor.
(h) The Trust, either directly or through an agent, may
repurchase its Shares, out of funds legally available therefor,
upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration as the
Trustees shall deem advisable, by agreement with the owner at a
price not exceeding the net asset value per Share as determined by
or pursuant to the order of the Trustees at such time or times as
the Trustees shall designate, less any applicable charge, if and
as fixed by the Trustees from time to time, and to take all other
steps deemed necessary or advisable in connection therewith.
(i) Shares purchased or redeemed by the Trust shall be
cancelled or held by the Trust for reissue, as the Trustees from
time to time may determine.
(j) The obligations set forth in this Article VI may be
suspended or postponed, (1) for any period (i) during which the
New York Stock Exchange is closed other than for customary weekend
and holiday closings, or (ii) during which trading on the New York
Stock Exchange is restricted, (2) for any period during which an
emergency exists as a result of which (i) the disposal by the
Trust of investments owned by it is not reasonably practicable, or
(ii) it is not reasonably practicable for the Trust fairly to
determine the value of its net assets, or (3) for such other
periods as the Commission or any successor governmental authority
by order may permit.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 3 of
Article VI, if certificates representing such Shares have been
issued, the redemption or repurchase price need not be paid by the
Trust until such certificates are presented in proper form for
transfer to the Trust or the agent of the Trust appointed for such
purpose; however, the redemption or repurchase shall be effective,
in accordance with the resolution of the Trustees, regardless of
whether or not such presentation has been made.
Section 4. Redemptions at the Option of the Trust. The
Trust shall have the right at its option and at any time to redeem
Shares of any Shareholder at the net asset value thereof as
determined in accordance with Section 3 of Article VI of this
Declaration of Trust: (i) if at such time such Shareholder owns
fewer Shares than, or Shares having an aggregate net asset value
of less than, an amount determined from time to time by the
Trustees; or (ii) to the extent that such Shareholder owns Shares
of a particular series or class of Shares equal to or in excess of
a percentage of the outstanding Shares of that series or class
determined from time to time by the Trustees; or (iii) to the
extent that such Shareholder owns Shares of the Trust representing
a percentage equal to or in excess of such percentage of the
aggregate number of outstanding Shares of the Trust or the
aggregate net asset value of the Trust determined from time to
time by the Trustees.
Section 5. Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions and
Repurchases. No dividend or distribution (including, without
limitation, any distribution paid upon termination of the Trust or
of any series) with respect to, nor any redemption or repurchase
of, the Shares of any series shall be effected by the Trust other
than from the assets of such series.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of
Liability of Trustees
Section 1. Compensation. The Trustees shall be
entitled to reasonable compensation from the Trust and may fix the
amount of their compensation.
Section 2. Limitation of Liability. The Trustees shall
not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or
wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee or Manager of the
Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or
omission of any other Trustee, but nothing herein contained shall
protect any Trustee against any liability to which he would
otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in
the conduct of his office.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate,
share, or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever
executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees or
any of them in connection with the Trust, shall be deemed
conclusively to have been executed or done only in their or his
capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or Trustee
shall not be personally liable thereon.
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
Section 1. Indemnification of Trustees, Officers,
Employees and Agents. Each person who is or was a Trustee,
officer, employee or agent of the Trust or who serves or has
served at the Trust's request as a director, officer or trustee of
another entity in which the Trust has or had any interest as a
shareholder, creditor or otherwise shall be entitled to
indemnification out of the assets of the Trust to the extent
provided in, and subject to the provisions of, the By-Laws,
provided that no indemnification shall be granted by the Trust in
contravention of the 1940 Act.
Section 2. Merged Corporations. For the purposes of
this Article VIII references to "the Trust" include any
constituent corporation (including any constituent of a
constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its
separate existence had continued, would have had power and
authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or
agents as well as the resulting or surviving entity; so that any
person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of
such a constituent corporation or is or was serving at the request
of such a constituent corporation as a trustee, director, officer,
employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise shall stand in the same
position under the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to
the resulting or surviving entity as he would have with respect to
such a constituent corporation if its separate existence had
continued.
Section 3. Shareholders. In case any Shareholder or
former Shareholder shall be held to be personally liable solely by
reason of his being or having been a Shareholder and not because
of his acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder
or former Shareholder (or his heirs, executors, administrators or
other legal representatives or in the case of a corporation or
other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be
entitled out of the assets of the particular series of Shares of
which he is or was a Shareholder to be held harmless from and
indemnified against all losses and expenses arising from such
liability. Upon request, the Trust shall cause its counsel to
assume the defense of any claim which, if successful, would result
in an obligation of the Trust to indemnify the Shareholder as
aforesaid.
ARTICLE IX
Status of the Trust and Other General Provisions
Section 1. Trust Not a Partnership. It is hereby
expressly declared that a trust and not a partnership is created
hereby. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer,
employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind
personally either the Trust's Trustees or officers or any Share-
holders. All persons extending credit to, contracting with or
having any claim against the Trust or a particular series of
Shares shall look only to the assets of the Trust or the assets of
that particular series for payment under such credit, contract or
claim; and neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees, nor any of
the Trust's officers, employees or agents, whether past, present
or future, shall be personally liable therefor. Nothing in this
Declaration of Trust shall protect any Trustee against any
liability to which such Trustee otherwise would be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the
office of Trustee hereunder.
Section 2. Trustee's Good Faith Action, Expert Advice,
No Bond or Surety. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers
and discretion hereunder under the circumstances then prevailing,
shall be binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be
liable for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of the office of Trustee, and for nothing else, and shall
not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law.
The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with
respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust,
and subject to the provisions of Section 1 of this Article IX
shall be under no liability for any act or omission in accordance
with such advice or for failing to follow such advice. The
Trustees shall not be required to give any bond as such, nor any
surety if a bond is required.
Section 3. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with
Trustees. No person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to
make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction made
or to be made by the Trustees pursuant hereto or to see to the
application of any payments made or property transferred to the
Trust or upon its order.
Section 4. Trustees, Shareholders, etc. Not Personally
Liable; Notice. All persons extending credit to, contracting
with or having any claim against the Trust or a particular series
of Shares shall look only to the assets of the Trust or the assets
of that particular series of Shares for payment under such credit,
contract or claim; and neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees,
nor any of the Trust's officers, employees or agents, whether
past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor.
Section 5. Termination of Trust. Unless terminated as
provided herein, the Trust shall continue without limitation of
time. The Trust may be terminated at any time by vote of
Shareholders holding at least a majority of the Shares of each
series entitled to vote or by the Trustees by written notice to
the Shareholders. Any series of Shares may be terminated at any
time by vote of Shareholders holding at least a majority of the
Shares of such series entitled to vote or by the Trustees by
written notice to the Shareholders of such series.
Upon termination of the Trust or of any one or more
series of Shares, after paying or otherwise providing for all
charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities, whether due or accrued
or anticipated as may be determined by the Trustees, the Trust
shall reduce, in accordance with such procedures as the Trustees
consider appropriate, the remaining assets to distributable form
in cash or shares or other securities, or any combination thereof,
and distribute the proceeds to the Shareholders of the series
involved, ratably according to the number of Shares of such series
held by the several Shareholders of such series on the date of
termination, except to the extent otherwise required or permitted
by the preferences and special or relative rights and privileges
of any classes of Shares of that series, provided that any
distribution to the Shareholders of a particular class of Shares
shall be made to such Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the
number of Shares of such class held by each of them.
Section 6. Filing of Copies, References, Headings. The
original or a copy of this instrument and of each amendment hereto
and of each Declaration of Trust supplemental hereto shall be kept
at the office of the Trust where it may be inspected by any Share-
holder. A copy of this instrument and of each such amendment and
supplemental Declaration of Trust shall be filed by the Trust with
the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and
the Boston City Clerk, as well as any other governmental office
where such filing may from time to time be required. Anyone
dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of
the Trust as to whether or not any such amendments or supplemental
Declarations of Trust have been made and as to matters in
connection with the Trust hereunder; and, with the same effect as
if it were the original, may rely on a copy certified by an
officer of the Trust to be a copy of this instrument or of any
such amendment or supplemental Declaration of Trust. In this
instrument or in any such amendment or supplemental Declaration of
Trust, references to this instrument, and all expressions like
"herein," "hereof," and "hereunder," shall be deemed to refer to
this instrument as amended or affected by any such amendment or
supplemental Declaration of Trust. Headings are placed herein for
convenience of reference only and in case of any conflict, the
text of this instrument, rather than the headings, shall control.
This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts each
of which shall be deemed an original.
Section 7. Applicable Law. The Trust set forth in this
instrument is made in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and it is
created under and is to be governed by and construed and
administered according to the laws of said Commonwealth. The
Trust shall be of the type commonly called a Massachusetts
business trust, and without limiting the provisions hereof, the
Trust may exercise all powers which are ordinarily exercised by
such a trust.
Section 8. Amendments. This Declaration of Trust may
be amended at any time by an instrument in writing signed by a
majority of the then Trustees when authorized so to do by a vote
of Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares outstanding and
entitled to vote, except that an amendment which shall affect the
holders of one or more series or class of Shares but not the
holders of all outstanding series or classes of Shares shall be
authorized by vote of the Shareholders holding a majority of the
Shares entitled to vote of the series or classes affected and no
vote of Shareholders of a series or class not affected shall be
required. Amendments having the purpose of changing the name of
the Trust or of supplying any omission, curing any ambiguity or
curing, correcting or supplementing any defective or inconsistent
provision contained herein shall not require authorization by
Shareholder vote.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Trustee has hereunto
set his hand and seal for himself and his assigns as of the day
and year first above written.
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Trustee
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Address of the Trust:
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Resident Agent:
CT Corp.
0 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
STATE OF NEW YORK )
: ss.:
COUNTY OF NEW YORK )
On this 20th day of October, 1995, before me personally
came the above-named Trustee of the Fund, to me known, and known
to me to be the person described in and who executed the foregoing
instrument, and who duly acknowledged to me that he had executed
the same.
Notary Public
